Budweiser has launched its first-ever Twitter account – www.twitter.com/budweiser. The account went live last night. The iconic brand marked the occasion with another “first” involving the Budweiser Clydesdales – tweeting the first photo of a member of the elite ”Budweiser Clydesdales Class of 2013,” a beautiful 150-pound baby born the morning of Jan. 16. It was the brand’s first-ever Tweet.

PepsiCo announced on Friday that it would no longer use an ingredient in Gatorade after consumers complained. The ingredient, brominated vegetable oil, which was used in citrus versions of the sports drink to prevent the flavorings from separating, was the object of a petition started on Change.org by Sarah Kavanagh, a 15-year-old from Hattiesburg, Miss., who became concerned about the ingredient after reading about it online. (NY Times)

Thanks to the 24-ounce beer can, business is growing again at the Anheuser-Busch InBev brewery in central New York. After several years of eroding production and employment — a decline that began in the 1990s — the brewery in the Syracuse suburb of Lysander is poised to make more beer in 2013 than it did in 2012, and add some workers at the same time. (WSJ)

23-year-old singer Taylor Swift will partner with Diet Coke on a series of branding initiatives. It's not clear how Diet Coke will use Ms. Swift, though it's likely she will become a brand ambassador of sorts, with the partnership going beyond simply 30-second TV spots. However, executives close to the company noted she will not be involved in the company's Super Bowl campaign. A Coca-Cola spokeswoman declined to comment. (Advertising Age)

Coca-Cola's Freestyle fountains, the most recent revolution in soft drink vending, allow customers to select their quaff from 125 different branded beverages. But now Potbelly Sandwich Shop is shaking up the soda scene with a fountain for its many guests who'd rather choose between just two drinks -- Coke and Pepsi. (Seattle Weekly)